Olivia Colman: A Very British Film Star:
The actress who rose to small-screen fame in comedy has revealed herself to be one of our finest dramatic actors, working with acclaimed directors in world cinema, yet always putting the national industry first. This unpretentious, self-effacing actress claims no celebrity status yet is widely beloved – and capable of astonishing performances in films as diverse as ‘Tyrannosaur’, ‘The Favourite’ and ‘The Lost Daughter’.
She is an actor’s actor, with a rare ability to convey vulnerability and uncompromisingly complex emotions, yet she also has the gravitas that makes her the first choice to play a royal. She has been described as “this generation’s Judi Dench” and has won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and multiple Baftas.
She has even joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, it’s time to stop wasting time, and admit that, whatever she might say to the contrary, Olivia Colman is a bona fide film star.
Pamela Hutchinson is a freelance writer, critic, film historian and curator who lives and works in West Sussex. She writes for Sight and Sound, Criterion, the Guardian and Empire and regularly appears on BBC radio.